The present invention relates to a scanning near-field interatomic force microscope for observing the topography of a substance to be measured by utilizing interatomic force which acts between substances and, at the same lime, observing optical characteristics in a minute region of the substance to be measured with a probe that is made of a light propagation material. The invention also relates to an optical system for optical writing to and reading from an optical recording medium in a near field.
In conventional scanning near-field microscopes, an optical fiber is used as an optical waveguide probe which is processed, i.e., sharpening its tip. Although this near-field optical effect can be utilized for not only scanning near-field microscopes but also high-density recording apparatuses, the method of processing an optical fiber probe is disadvantageous in productivity.
To solve this problem, Fujihira et al. (Japanese Unexamined Patent PublicationNo. Hei. 5-099641), J. P. Fillard et al. (WO 95/03561), and C. F. Quate et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,985) disclosed inventions relating to interatomic-force-controlled waveguide probes using a thin-film process. In each of these inventions, a waveguide is formed from on a substrate to be parallel with a sample surface to the tip of a probe that is formed on the substrate in the form of a protrusion.
A waveguide probe having this type of structure has a problem that it is difficult to keep the waveguide characteristic of the waveguide, i.e., the efficiency high because the waveguide is bent three-dimensionally. Further, in a case that an optical detection method is used for positional control of an optical waveguide probe, an optical system of the detection method produces disturbance light for light that is detected as near field light. And the system needs optical axis alignment for the positional control.